


The Way I've Always Done Before

by orphan_account



Series: In My Veins [4]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: (i guess), Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Alternate Universe - Werewolves Are Known, Civil War, Gen, Past Derek Hale/Stiles, War, mostly filler
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-29
Updated: 2013-09-29
Packaged: 2017-12-27 23:01:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/984669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He tries to feel sorry for them, they were dragged into this war without their consent, enlisted with teeth they had no way to defend themselves against.  But the bitten always seemed to have a better chance of surviving the strikes, maybe it’s because the resistance still saw them as brothers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Way I've Always Done Before

**Author's Note:**

> Unbeta'd so any and all mistakes are mine.  
> Title from Guns N' Roses Civil War (see what I did there?)

Every morning Derek wakes up, he’s surprised that he has, that somehow he’s made it to another dawn. He should be dead ten times over, the fire, the destruction of his second pack, Stiles. He still doesn’t quite understand why Stiles let him go, he had no reason to, after all Derek did to him, and yet he did. And Derek will be forever grateful for it, even when another dawn just means more pain, another day hiding and searching for food, a pack that resents him for something none of them have control over.

He found Isaac first, scared and starving in the wreckage of the house he knew once belonged to the biggest and most powerful pack in the state. Erica and Boyd followed soon afterwards, different situations, the same story. He tries to feel sorry for them, they were dragged into this war without their consent, enlisted with teeth they had no way to defend themselves against.  But the bitten always seemed to have a better chance of surviving the strikes, maybe it’s because the resistance still saw them as brothers, Derek would be given no such mercy.

Erica and Isaac are both first generation, they’ve seen the rise and fall of the wolves, known what it was like to be on top, to be taken – all be it by force – into a world where they were kings,  only to lose it all again. Boyd though, Boyd was bitten only a few months before the tide turned again in the humans favour, and Derek knows he keeps himself up at night wishing he’d run a bit faster, knowing he’d still be with his family if he had.

Derek can’t be an alpha without a pack, but while there used to be safety in numbers now all it brings is more hardship, more mouths to feed, his beta’s crying in the night like the children they still should be. He knows they hate him for what he is, and hate themselves even more for relying on him.

They move at night, it’s too dangerous in the day, and they try and stay in one place as long as they can until lack of supplies or fear of detection drives them back to the surface. They break into shops and warehouses looking for food, never homes, never somewhere where they’ll be people – human or otherwise. Any kind of encounter, even to people you’re bound to by blood could be lethal.

Though super senses only get you so far, and sometimes, like now, Derek finds himself staring down another wolf, Beta’s cowering behind him, eyes flashing red to the responding yellow. The boy looks terrified, gaunt and pale though his skin tone looks like it shouldn’t allow that. He’s clutching a dented can of soup to his chest like it’s a life support machine, teeth bared as though he’s ready to defend it.

The self-preservation instinct is skewed in most people, Derek finds, maybe it’s not their fault, it’s just the world works. This kid looks like he’s willing to fight a pack, all be it a small one, over one can of food, get himself killed over it. But then if he doesn’t, he could starve, Derek thinks he looks like he doesn’t care either way.

He flashes his eyes again, tries to make it look less threatening this time, holds his hands up in front of him, questioning his decision even as the words come out of his mouth. “We have plenty of food, we’re not trying to take yours, but come with us and we can find a way to heat that up for you.”

He hears the protests behind him, agrees with them even. They don’t have plenty of food, not by any stretch of the imagination, but he heard that the exterminations would be coming to this town in the next few days, that’s why they’re leaving, this kid couldn’t face them, and that’s if he survived until then. He reminds Derek of all his other betas,  young and scared, the stench of human still clinging to him like it can bring him back.

“What’s your name?” Derek asks him in a low voice. The boy hesitates, swallows, brings a grubby hand over his face and says, voice barely more than a whisper  “Scott – Scott McCall.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> The working title of this was Harri get your arse in gear. And I did, so here it is. Mainly superfluous exposition, but I couldn't move on without it.  
> This series was dead, so so dead (seriously, not even sure if I like it) but people said they wanted to hear more, and I went on holiday which for some reason always inspires me so here you are.  
> Stiles comes back in the next part, I promise it will be better than this one.
> 
> Oh and if you're reading this and haven't already, check out my other series, which is beautiful and thought through and much better than this (at least in my opinion).


End file.
